Pearl Jam Partner With Target

When rumors about Pearl Jam filming a Target commercial directed by Cameron Crowe started swirling around the web yesterday, it seemed like a troubling possibility. Would the same independent-minded band that challenged Ticketmaster back in the day go with an exclusive Target deal for the release of their next album now that they're no longer signed to Sony? Well, yes and no.

According to a Billboard report, Target and Pearl Jam have a deal to sell the group's new album-- tentatively titled Backspacer and due in the fall-- but that's not the only place you will find the record. Apparently, the label-less LP will be distributed by an assortment of partners, including "an online retailer, a mobile partner, a gaming company and a network or possibly networks of indie retail stores." New model alert!

The Crowe-directed filming, which took place at the Showbox in Seattle, was indeed for a Target commercial, but also "may be used for a project that Cameron Crowe is working on in connection to the band's 20th anniversary," according to Pearl Jam's manager.